We all got a pretty good scare last Sunday when we saw Aaron Rodgers’ knee bend backward and then leave the field shortly after. Rodgers came back out and led the Green Bay Packers to an epic, by-the-skin-of-their-teeth comeback over the Chicago Bears. But we left uncertain as to whether or not he would be on the field for an even tougher test in the Minnesota Vikings next week. Aaron Rodgers has stated that he is going to play and the NFL odds have the Packers as 1.5-point favorites over Mike Zimmer’s Vikings’ in week 2 because of it.
Vikings vs. Packers
Both teams put up 24 points in their week 1 affairs, but the Vikings’ defense has proven to be more stout. They held Jimmy Garoppolo and the 49ers to just 16 points. Despite the score, they gave up 237 passing yards to Garoppolo, whereas the Packers secondary only gave up 171 yards to Mitch Trubisky. Despite having the top-rated defense, the Vikings might be a little bit vulnerable to the passing game.
The Packers — mostly Rodgers — passed for 301 yards, while Capt. Kirk Cousins put up 227 through the air. Something to note is that the Vikings got 11 more plays off than the Packers in their week 1 matchup, so they were playing a game of pace. But despite running 71 plays, they produced less than a yard per play than the Packers, 4.83 to 6.27. More striking is the yards per play on the other side of the ball. Minnesota gave up 5.4 whereas the Packers only gave up 4.5. Defensively, the Packers only gave up 17 points. Seven of those came thanks to linebacker Khalil Mack and his Deshone Kizer pick-6.
The Bears played surprisingly well. Khalil Mack showed exactly why he is worth every penny as an elite edge rusher by giving the Bears not only points on the board, but his strip-sack as well.
The Vikings will spread the ball out better. With Dalvin Cook, the Vikings have the ability to put up a 100 rushing yards as well as pass the ball effectively. But their offensive line allowed the San Francisco defensive front to hurry Kirk Cousins all game. This could spell trouble. The Niners have the 22nd ranked defense in the league, while the Packers are close to the top-10 with the No. 13 defense. And even though some say the 49ers have a top-10 offense, it is nowhere near as potent as an Aaron Rodgers’ led Packers team.
Offense vs. Defense
This is a classic case of great offense vs. great defense. They say that defense wins championships, but that hasn’t worked out for the Vikings just yet. Can they get a win in Lambeau Field?
This will be an epic battle between division rivals, but the Packers will come out on top at home in a game where defense will bear more important than offense for both teams.
Prediction: The Packers will win 24-17
Does anyone else find it kind of odd how silent the packers were “gathering more information” yesterday on Aaron Rodgers? It’s almost as if Rodgers didnt get a very favorable analysis and is seeking other opinions. Honestly, how long does it take to do imaging and have a specialist look at the scans and make a recommendation? Idk, I guess the first injury report comes out tomorrow and they could be trying to keep the Vikings guessing. But I have some reservations given the silence.
To be fair, thr NFL doesn’t require teams to state injury prognosis until Wednesday of every week. I wasn’t expecting any kind of formal statement or update one way or another until tomorrow. No point in giving your opponent an extra day to prepare against player XYZ.
But with said, I honestly expect the decalaration tomorrow to be “questionable” for this weekend, and remain that way until game day. For this type of injury, I’m going with the old fashioned ‘no news is good news’ mantra. If he was going to be out an extended amount of time, I would think they would have placed him on IR by now and went scoured free agents additional help.
The Vikings will just prepare for Aaron. Business as usual and if they get Kizer instead, then that’s just icing on their preparation cake.
I highly doubt that Zimmer or Edwards are taking anything McCarthy says seriously regarding injuries, nor should anyone else. The Queens will prepare to play Rodgers 100%. No matter what useless games McCarthy wants to play. But…if Kizer did end up starting, i’ll go out on a limb and predict that Edwards can deal with it. Rodgers said he was starting, and i’d bet cash money he’ll start.
In other News: The first round pick we got from the Saints goes down like this….We start at 32, then for every Saints loss our draft position improves by 2 spots. That’s how i view it anyway.
For anyone following along…
Jared Cook…9 catches…180 yards
Jimmy Graham…2 catches…8 yards
I watched some of the Viking game Sunday. ‘9ers dropped some money passes and Cook didn’t remind me of AP. Of course, if history is any indicator, that will probably come this week.
In before Killer’s drivel and how he will regale us with tales of how wonderfully superior the Vikings are. For you new guys let me save you the trouble of reading his shit post. In a nutshell, Cook runs for a buck 90 and change. Cousins torches our secondary for 5 scores, all in the first half. The vaunted Viking defense will make Rodgers/Kizer look like vintage Favre and have 6 interceptions, 4 before they tear Rodgers’ leg off at the knee because he is made of glass you see and not a team player. Then all the starters will sit and the rest of the All Star Viking roster will show up and embarrass the Packers that are left from this total domination performance because they, the Vikings, are the pillar organization of the NFL. They got Hormel Superbowl trophies to show for it, just ask any fan into the purple. That will about sum it up, amirite fellas?
You forgot where he isn’t “completely biased” and throws us the token “well Mike Daniels is good, he will have a sack.”
Oh, my bad! Thanks for reminding us! LOL!
I believe that you are on the right track. But I think that KILLER would go much further this year. He has a “world beater” team this year that could kick the “Guardians of the Galaxy” if need be . . . ;)
Another year in the NFL, yet when I sit down to do my Vikings vs Packers reading to get to this site and see refernces to Killer, what a douche… You also forgot that killer will always just personally attack you as well if you try to have a decent argumentative conversation. with some sort of 90s “yea well you have a small brain” type of comment when you try to provide any type of rebuttal against anything he said.
I will say this. I have Vikings season tickets, and I was at the 49ers game. Anyone watching on tv only saw MAYBE HALF of the blown coverage’s because those were the ones that Garoppolo had a chance to throw to and we were LUCKY those receivers dropped the ball. If the Vikings do that this Sunday they will not win this game, and Rodgers will go all Ryan Fitzpatrick on us times 10. If Rodgers plays and the Vikings can shore up the mistakes on those blown coverage i fair it to be a pretty close game that could go either way, beating Rodgers in Lambeau is tough period for any team. If Rodgers doesn’t play then the Vikings win no matter what.
I would agree with that assessment. I did notice the high number of blown coverages, mostly just seemed to be in zone coverages. It was weird to see it that much.
Cheers, my dude for being the anti-Killer. Good luck to you and yours Sunday, #Skoltime. May it be a controversy free contest.
Refreshing to hear from you Skol….
……you’re OK for a Vikings fan
I bet your 2nd favorite team is the Packers ….
Lmfao – That’s why I continue to visit this site….
Thanks guys.
Glad to be of service Icebowl. We all need a good laugh now and then. Keep on coming back my brother, the season is early and there is bound to be more in store!
If the Rodgers doesn’t play and the Packers get blown out at home, you can bet all those Vikings fans will be crowing about how they won at Lambeau and they’re going to the Super Bowl.
Then they’ll get their “This is not Detroit man, this is the Super Bowl” moment and all their hopes will be dashed.
I can’t believe GB is favored after that first half performance. Anyone who talks about MVPs in the NFL might pay attention. If Rodgers does not play this line goes off the board and then flips to Vikings by 9.5.
Why would the meatpackers give out any hint of any fucking information. They should just say he’s likely NOT to start to play the vikings brain like a pinball and screww the vegas line to an 11 point give. Who cares?